The Warriors have been granted permission to keep Vodafone as their naming-rights sponsor after Telstra allowed an exemption to their exclusivity rights with the NRL on compassionate grounds.

The New Zealand-based club appeared destined to lose their major sponsor on Tuesday after a 22-year partnership, with Vodafone confirming they were likely to drop out.

The two major telcos have been at loggerheads for years over the matter, with both having been involved in the sport for more than two decades.

The matter appeared to come to a head this week, with Vodafone only likely to stay on in a non naming-rights capacity well below their $1 million per season deal.

However, Telstra on Tuesday afternoon said they would not prevent the Warriors’ from retaining their major sponsor after the club’s efforts to save the 2020 NRL season.

“Our sporting clubs are feeling the pinch right now and many, like the Warriors, have stepped up to support their fans and the games,” a Telstra statement read.

“While our naming rights sponsorship is a big investment from us in the game and should be protected in the long-term, now is not the time to be taking money out of the sport.

“Just as we’ve extended our sponsorships that were due to expire for 12 months to support our partners, the Warriors have our support to extend their existing sponsorship too.”

The Telstra brand does not exist in New Zealand, however, Vodafone remains a rival in Australia.

The Warriors still have two years to run on their sponsorship deal, and the news had threatened to be another blow to their most difficult season in history.

Players have now been away from their homes for three-and-a-half months as a result of the pandemic.

They have since lost sacked coach Stephen Kearney and five-eighth Blake Green, to Newcastle, as well as a handful of players who have returned to New Zealand.

The Warriors are already in a precarious financial situation given their stay in Australia and the resultant losses in merchandising, corporate and ticketing opportunities.

However, they will now be able to re-enter talks with Vodafone.

Acting NRL CEO Andrew Abdo praised Telstra and the company’s investment which as benefited the league and its clubs.

“Telstra’s decision to put investment in the game first shows their commitment to ensuring all of our clubs remain strong during the most challenging of times,” he said.

“The generous commitment shown by Telstra to the Warriors and the game, in a difficult COVID environment, shows how strong a partner they are for rugby league.”